Nutrient Fortified Foods for Older Hospital Patients

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Nutrient Fortified Foods for Older Hospital Patients

• IRAS ID

  217574

• Contact name

  Margot Gosney

• Contact email

  Margot.Gosney@royalberkshire.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Reading

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 6 months, days

• Research summary

  This study is being proposed as the incidence of malnutrition (malnutrition being referred to as disorders resulting from deficiencies of nutrient intake for this study) in the UK is widespread. The highest percentage of malnutrition is found in long term care institutions followed by in hospitalised older adults.
  Previous studies have found that energy and protein intakes of patients on texture-modified (pureed) diets do not meet their estimated requirements, and intakes are significantly lower than those patients on a normal hospital diet. Therefore, energy and protein fortification (protein added to food) of a texture modified (pureed) meal should give patients a better chance of reaching their nutritional requirements.
  This study is designed as a randomised, balanced, crossover, single blinded, intervention study; comparing intake of a protein fortified texture modified (pureed) meal to a non-fortified texture modified (pureed) meal of the same food components.
  Recruited and consenting patients will be older people over the age of 65 years but patients already on a texture modified (pureed) diet, with an unsafe or disordered swallow and any other feeding problems will be excluded. Again, patients with food allergies, or any condition which deems them unfit to consume the test food will also be excluded.
  The pureed meals will be weighed before serving and at the end of the meal to calculate food consumption, as well as energy and protein intake. The patients will also be asked to complete a grip strength test and give a 1 to 10 liking score of the meal.
  The University of Reading Students study will be carried out on the Hurley elderly care ward in the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust. Patients over the age of 65yrs who have the capacity to consent will be recruited and asked for consent by the research nurse or students.

• REC name

  London - Brighton & Sussex Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  16/LO/2132

• Date of REC Opinion

  5 Jan 2017

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion